Part 6/14:
The most astonishing chapter of Plant’s Manhattan story is his legendary transaction involving a priceless pearl necklace. His second wife, “Messie,” became enamored with a stunning double-strand natural pearl necklace displayed in a Cartier shop. In 1917, a remarkable deal was struck: Cartier exchanged a necklace valued at approximately $1 million (roughly $20 million today when adjusted for inflation) for Plant’s Fifth Avenue mansion and its land, symbolizing a barter of extraordinary proportions. The necklace was not just jewelry but a symbol of status and personal affection, and this exchange exemplifies the era's penchant for ephemeral assets and symbolic wealth.